SEOUL, Jan. 1 (Yonhap) -- North Korea will likely become stabilized within months after the death of leader Kim Jong-il due mainly to China's rapid economic assistance, a major South Korean think tank said Sunday. A report by the Korea Development Institute on the death of Kim Jong-il and its impact on North Korea's economy forecast that China will soon begin providing economic assistance to North Korea in a rapid manner to help stabilize its communist neighbor.

"In that case, North Korea's economy will escape from a temporary wait-and-see status and get stabilized gradually so the North could witness more brisk economic activity at markets at around April 15, the anniversary of the birth of Kim Il-sung," the report of the state-run think tank said.